The Honourable Chief Justice Debra Mortimer of the Federal Court of Australia arrived in Port Moresby on Sunday 22 October for the Sir Buri Kidu Lecture Series.
The lecture was held on the 24th of October 2023 at the University of Papua New Guinea’s Waigani campus. It was opened to the public particularly professionals from the law and justice sector agencies, students and the legal fraternity.
Chief Justice Mortimer’s presentation was on the topic of Challenges for the Courts in Environment Litigation – Reflections on the situation in Australia and Papua New Guinea. The lecture centred on some of the issues faced by the courts when disputes about environmental protection arise. She stated that not only PNG and Australia face the same challenges in environmental cases, but the same kind of issues arise in courts as well. She focused her lecture on the issue of ‘standing’ in environmental cases and the need for appropriate consultation with those who hold customary or traditional rights to land or waters that may be affected by development activities.
Prior to the Sir Buri Kidu lecture, Chief Justice Mortimer met with the Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea, Sir Gibbs Salika and toured the new state-of-the-art court complex which is currently under construction.
She also met with PNG Centre for Judicial Excellence (PNGCJE) Judge Administrator, Justice John Carey with his senior management staff to discuss the judicial education and training programs the Centre has been facilitating for PNG and the Pacific Island Judiciaries.
Chief Justice Mortimer was accompanied to Port Moresby by Justice Stephen Burley of the Federal Court of Australia and Justice Berna Collier, justice of the Federal Court of Australia and Judge of the Supreme and National Courts of PNG.